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By Sean Moriarty

The Department of Education and Skills has confirmed that its Financial Support Services Unit (FSSU) is investigating financial matters at Kilcummin National School.

The FSSU helps schools comply with the law in terms of transparency, accountability and financial responsibility.

“At the Department’s request, the Financial Support Services Unit has undertaken an examination of the school’s accounts and a report on the matter is currently being considered by the Department,” a Department of Education and Skills spokesperson told the Killarney Advertiser. “Managers appointed by the patron are in place to manage the school.The term of office for Boards of Management/Managers will changeover on December 1, 2019.”

The Department did not say why it was producing such a report, but the school falls under the patronage of the Bishop of Kerry. Currently there is no Board of Management at the school and its being run by a manager and a co-manager appointed by the Department.  While there is nothing wrong with a school having an appointed manager it is unusual and the Diocese of Kerry says it strives to have management boards in all its schools. This is not the case at Kilcummin.

“In relation to all the primary schools under the patronage of the diocese, the aim is to have an active Board of Management in place. The practice of the appointment of a single manager to a school has been used occasionally in times of transition from one Board to the next,” Mary Fagan, Director of Communications of the Diocese of Kerry, told the Killarney Advertiser.

“This is the case in relation to Scoil Naisiunta Cill Cuimin. A single manager was appointed by the Minister of Education and Skills to this school in 2016. A co-manager was appointed in 2019. It is envisaged that a new Board of Management will be appointed by December 1along with all other schools.”